Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin. See
Food Wastes.Leaves may be composted in compost pile.

AQUATIC WEEDS

Nitrogen. Compost in compost bin.

ASH

Neither Carbon nor Nitrogen. Compost
wood ash only in thin layers or add to finished compost. Some texts say
not to use ash at all. Others say to use it as long as no chemicals were
used on the materials which were burned.Rodale's book says that wood ash
will increase the alkalinity and salinity of the soil, and should only
be used if a soil test indicates acidic soil which needs additional potassium
to be balanced.

Do not use ash from coal or
charcoal. It may contain substances that harm plants.

B

BANANA PEELS

Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin. See
Food Wastes.Although I have not tried it myself, the Winter 1997 issue
of Garden, Deck and Landscape magazine says you can plant banana
peels just under the soil around your rose bushes. The peels are rich in
calcium, sulphur, and phosphorus and will make your roses thrive.

BAMBOO

Green bamboo leaves and stems are nitrogens
when green but, like grass, become carbons as they age. Bamboo stems will
also harden as they age and should be split before composting.

BARK

Carbon (100:1).

BAT GUANO

Nitrogen. Compost in backyard compost
pile.

BEER, BREWERY WASTES

Nitrogen. Compost in backyard compost
pile.

BLACK WALNUTS

I have not found a definite answer
on black walnuts, but there is so much controversy that I have to recommend
that you not include them in your pile. The roots of the black walnut tree
are rather extensive and produce a substance called juglone that can be
toxic to other plants. The juglone which is present in the leaves is decomposed
during hot composting after one month, but all leaves must be exposed to
the hot part of the pile. To test, make compost tea from the compost. Soak
some alfalfa seeds in the compost tea and some in regular water, then compare
their germination. Alfalfa is sensitive to juglone. I have been told that
black raspberries, iris, and daylilles are not affected by juglone. (My
thanks to Frank Teuton for this information on black walnuts.)

BLOOD MEAL, DRIED BLOOD

Nitrogen (4:1). Compost in backyard
compost pile.

BONES

See Meat and Meat Bones

BRACKEN (FERNS)

Young green bracken is among the "nitrogens",
but when the fronds die in the autumn most of their nitrogen has been withdrawn
so, at that point, they would be a carbon. Their stems are a bit woody,
so they may not compost as fast. Be prepared to pick or filter the stems
out of finished compost and put back into the bin.

BUTTER

See Dairy Products

C

CABBAGE

Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin. See
Food Wastes.

CARDBOARD

Carbon (200-500:1). In some areas,
soiled cardboard is not acceptable for municipal recycling. However, if
your local program is recycling cardboard by composting, it should be acceptable.
Contact your local solid waste department to find out.Cardboard is able
to be composted, but contains high amounts of carbon, so it may not be
convenient to compost it, or you may want to compost it in your "slow-compost
bin".

You can soak either corrugated
or paper cardboard in water, then shred and put into your worm bin as bedding.

Cardboard can also be used under
a layer of mulch which is several inches thick, or wood chip paths if there
are no plants currently growing there which you want to keep. When preparing
a new bed, this is a good way to get rid of a lot of weeds. The cardboard
or paper will keep out the light, so the weeds will not survive.

CARROTS

Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin. See
Food Wastes.

CAT FECES

Don't put in compost pile. There is
disgreement over whether or not you should use cat feces in your compost
pile. Some authors say "Of course you can" and others say "No, never!".
The concern is this: Cat feces may in fact carry parasites, bacteria, germs,
pathogens and viruses that are harmful to humans -- ONE OF THESE ORGANISMS
(Toxoplasma gondii) IS KNOWN TO CAUSE SEVERE BRAIN DAMAGE TO UNBORN CHILDREN.
I read one author who stated that the hot compost pile would probably kill
most parasites. However, you would have to closely monitor the part of
the pile that the feces were in to be sure it reached the maximum temperature.
Because we put safety and health at the top of our priority list, we recommend
that you do not put these in your pile.Other options I have read include:
Flush down the toilet. Bury in the ornamental section of your landscaping
as long as it is not within 100 feet of a domestic water well, lake, or
stream, and somewhere that it will not be disturbed for two years.

Other cautions: Handle as little
as possible, preferably wear gloves. Children and pregnant women should
not handle at all.

I am often asked why the same cautions
are not applied to other animals such as rabbits, chickens, geese, cattle,
etc. Animals that eat vegetative matter are not as likely to pick up and
pass on diseases that are harmful to humans as are meat-eating animals.
Either a dog or cat may chew on a dead bird or squirrel that died of a
disease, has rabies, etc. Harmful bacteria and pathogens may be passed
through to feces, which may or may not be destroyed by composting. Then
children, pregnant women or other humans are exposed to the disease while
out in the yard or garden.

I am trying to track down solid
information on a company in Canada which claims to have a product that
kills all harmful organisms in pet feces. When I get a satisfactory answer,
I'll post it to the site, but right now, I haven't seen the test results.

--

CELERY

Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin. See
Food Wastes.

CHEESE

See Dairy Products

CHICKEN

See Food Wastes

CLOVER

Nitrogen. Compost in backyard compost
pile.

COFFEE GROUNDS

Nitrogen (20:1). Compost in the worm
bin or pile. Note that coffee grounds are about the same ratio as grass,
which may be helpful in the fall if you have more carbons than nitrogen.The
WSU Master Gardener Program of Thurston County, Washington, did some testing
with coffee grounds. They suggest that you put coffee grounds into your
worm bin soon after brewing so that they don't sour or attract fruit flies.
(Be sure to put them between layers of bedding, not on top.) They found
that fruit flies were attracted to coffee grounds put in an enclosed bin,
but not an open one. Be sure to keep the open pile well watered so that
grounds do not dry out. After brewing, coffee ground contain up to 2% nitrogen.

Susan Mecklenburg at Starbucks
Coffee was kind enough to provide the following analysis of spent Starbucks
coffee grounds, with credit to Organic Waste Utilization Research Group,
College of Forest Resources, University of Washington

Some help with notation interpretation
comes from Rob Dobson, Environmental Chemist, Sustainable Environmental
Solutions, Inc.:ug/g is micrograms per gram
(the u is really a greek letter mu, which looks much like a u). A microgram
is 1/1,000,000 of a gram, so this can also be called parts per million.ND means "not detected"

Primary Nutrients

1.45% Nitrogen

ND ug/g Phosphorous

1204 ug/g Potassium

Secondary Nutrients

389 ug/g Calcium

448 ug/g Magnesium

high ug/g Sulfur

Micronutrients

32 ug/g Boron

6.28 ug/g Copper

32.1 ug/g Iron

7.82 ug/g Manganese

ND ug/g Molybdenum

3.31 ug/g Zinc

Non-nutrients

31.5 ug/g Aluminum

ND ug/g Arsenic

1.75 ug/g Barium

ND ug/g Cadmium

ND ug/g Chromium

66.8 ug/g Sodium

1.52 ug/g Nickel

ND ug/g Lead

ND ug/g Silicon

If you need more nitrogen for your
pile, call your local coffee shop and ask if they will donate some grounds
to your pile! Many coffee shops are set up for this.

COFFEE FILTERS

Carbon (170:1). Compost with coffee
grinds in the worm bin. If shredded, can also go in piles.

Do not compost. Most of these items
will eventually decompose. We do not recommend that you compost them in
your backyard compost pile because they are likely to create odor problems
and attract pests such as rodents and flies. (In addition to being a general
nuisance, rodents and flies may carry diseases.) Your area may have ordinances
against composting these items for the same reasons.

DISEASED PLANTS (OR INFECTED WITH INSECTS)

Don't compost. Send to municipal composting
site. Large municipal or commercial composting sites usually reach much
higher temperatures than home piles, and the heat will kill the disease.
Check with your solid waste department for guidance.Diseases and Insects
can survive composting, as can their spores or eggs. These include, but
are not limited to, apple scab, aphids, and tent caterpillars.

DOG FECES

Don't put in compost pile. There is
disgreement over whether or not you should use dog feces in your compost
pile. Some authors say "Of course you can" and others say "No, never!".
As near as I can figure out, the concern is this: Although I have not heard
specific parasites mentioned, dog feces may in fact carry parasites, bacteria,
germs, pathogens and viruses that are harmful to humans. These may be picked
up, for instance, if a diseased bird flies into your yard and your dog
catches it and eats it. I read one author who stated that the hot compost
pile would kill these parasites. However, you would have to closely monitor
the part of the pile that the feces were in to be sure it reached the maximum
temperature. Because we put safety and health at the top of our priority
list, we recommend that you do not put these in your pile.Other options
I have read include: Flush down the toilet. Bury in the ornamental section
of your landscaping as long as it is not within 100 feet of a domestic
water well, lake, or stream, and somewhere that it will not be disturbed
for two years.

Other cautions: Handle as little
as possible, preferably wear gloves. Children and pregnant women should
not handle at all.

I am often asked why the same cautions
are not applied to other animals such as rabbits, chickens, geese, cattle,
etc. Animals that eat vegetative matter are not as likely to pick up and
pass on diseases that are harmful to humans as are meat-eating animals.
Either a dog or cat may chew on a dead bird or squirrel that died of a
disease, has rabies, etc. Harmful bacteria and pathogens may be passed
through to feces, which may or may not be destroyed by composting. Then
children, pregnant women or other humans are exposed to the disease while
out in the yard or garden.

I am trying to track down solid
information on a company in Canada which claims to have a product that
kills all harmful organisms in pet feces. When I get a satisfactory answer,
I'll post it to the site, but right now, I haven't seen the test results.

E

EGG SHELLS

No effect on carbon/nitrogen ratio.
Compost in worm bin. See Food Wastes.

EVERGREEN LEAVES

High in Carbon. Although some texts
say not to compost these, they are actually compostable materials. They
might better be used as mulch, because they decompose slowly. You may also
have a separate "slow-composting bin" for twigs and other slowly-decomposing
materials into which these leaves may go.To include your regular compost
pile, shred thoroughly and include with a high amount of nitrogen items.

F

FAT

Do not compost.

FEATHERS

Nitrogen. Compost in piles. Shred or
put in "slow-composting bin".

FECES

See Dog Feces.

FISH

Do not compost. These items will eventually
decompose. We do not recommend that you compost them in your backyard compost
pile because they are likely to create odor problems and attract pests
such as rodents and flies. (In addition to being a general nuisance, rodents
and flies may carry diseases.) Your area may have ordinances against composting
these items for the same reasons.

FLOWERS

Nitrogen. Compost in backyard compost
pile.

FOOD WASTES

Nitrogen (12-15:1) Compost in worm
bins or soil incorporation methods. We do not recommend that you compost
them in your backyard compost pile because they are likely to create odor
problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies. (In addition to being
a general nuisance, rodents and flies may carry diseases.) Your area may
have ordinances against composting these items for the same reasons.In
some locations, it may be appropriate to compost vegetative food wastes
in compost piles, check with your local solid waste department for guidelines.
Vegetative food wastes are those derived from plants, i.e., vegetables
and fruits. In these cases, it is important to build a hot compost pile
to avoid pest problems. Bury the scraps one foot deep into the pile.

Do NOT compost meat or dairy
products, oils or mayonnaise. These products are organic, but they are
not vegetative and are difficult to compost at home without creating problems.

G

GRAIN CHAFF AND HULLS

Carbon (80:1). Compost in compost pile.

GRAPEFRUIT

Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin. See
Food Wastes.

GRASS CLIPPINGS

Nitrogen (when fresh). (12 - 19:1)
is an average ratio. If the lawn was not well-watered or has turned brown,
there will be far less nitrogen than that freshly cut from a green, healthy
lawn.

Compost in backyard pile if artificial
pesticides and fertilizers have not been used.

GREASE

Do not compost.

H

HAIR

Nitrogen. Compost in pile, but only
as a small percentage of the pile. Dog and cat hair seem to compost faster
than human hair. Put in very thin layers and cut up as much as possible
first. Mix thoroghly with other materials so that it doesn't mat.

Warning: some composters report
trouble composting hair, so try a small amount first to see how it works
for you!

HAY

Carbon. Compost in backyard pile. Note
that some recommend this as a mulch, but because it is a fire hazard, we
do not recommend you use it for mulch.

HOLLY LEAVES

Carbon. Compost in backyard "slow-compost
bin". Shred first if possible. Also, makes a good mulch, shredding is a
plus.With regard to using holly leaves as mulch, consider the following
advice from Deborah in Portland OR. She raises a very good point -- if
you have kids playing on the lawn, you may take a different action than
if you are trying to keep a pet out of your ornamentals!

I grew up on land that
used to be an ornamental holly farm....have you ever stepped on an old
holly leaf?? OUCH!! Because of those leaves, we kids NEVER went barefoot.
From my personal experience, I'd suggest composting the leaves, not using
them as mulch where you could come in contact with those pointy little
edges!

Carbon. Can make a good mulch, shredding
is a plus.Compost in backyard "slow-compost bin". Shred first if possible.

LAWN TRIMMINGS

See Grass Clippings.

LEAVES

Carbon (40-80:1). Evergreen leaves
are higher in carbon, so shred before composting.

Compost in worm bin or compost
pile. Deciduous leaves are best for composting.Leaves can also be used as a mulch.
Shred first. Apply 3 inches deep. Wind and rain can "relocate" leaf mulch,
so blend with other materials if possible.

Neither carbon nor nitrogen. Add to
finished compost or soil if soil tests prove it is needed. It can kill
composting organisms and may also produce ammonia gas. Some people automatically
add lime when putting acidic materials into their compost piles, but a
healthy compost pile should get to a balanced pH without it.

Do not compost. These items will eventually
decompose. We do not recommend that you compost them in your backyard compost
pile because they are likely to create odor problems and attract pests
such as rodents and flies. (In addition to being a general nuisance, rodents
and flies may carry diseases.) Your area may have ordinances against composting
these items for the same reasons.

MILK

See Dairy Products

N

NEWSPAPER

Carbon (200-500:1). In some areas,
soiled newspaper is not acceptable for municipal recycling. Contact your
local
solid waste department to find out.Newspaper may be composted, but contains
high amounts of carbon, so it may not be convenient to compost it in your
backyard bin. Shred and soak in water before putting in backyard pile.
Shredding is required because it mats easily. Be aware that there is not
a lot of nutrient value in newspaper.

You can also soak in water,
then shred and put into your worm bin as bedding.

Newspaper can be used under a layer
of mulch which is several inches thick, or wood chip paths if there are
no plants currently growing there which you want to keep. When preparing
a new bed, this is a good way to get rid of a lot of weeds. The paper will
keep out the light, so the weeds will not survive.

Concerns:The information above contains
recommendations usually given by Master Composters, experts and authors
on composting. I have received a lot of questions about newspapers, so
I am going to go into a little more detail here.

With regard to composting newspapers
with black ink, I have only heard one mention of controversy. Otherwise,
I have found that composting newspapers is acceptable. (As mentioned above,
it is not usually recommended for use in a backyard pile because of the
problems of matting, low nutrient value and slow decomposition.) The one
controversial source was the book "Let It Rot" by Stu Campbell. He says
that the carbon black ink contains polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)
which are a known carcinogen. Stu says

"Although the jury is still
out, most scientific research to date indicates that PAHs are rendered
inert by the temperatures of a hot compost pile, the biological activity,
and the acids in the soil. Most newspaper inks no longer contain heavy
metals, and most colored newsprint now uses vegetable dyes, so as long
as you don't intensively compost with newspapers you can use it as a carbon
source."

With regard to newspapers, A Green
Guide to Yard Care published by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
Commission says, "Most inks today are safe for garden use." To be completely
safe, call your newspaper and ask about the ink or use compost made from
newspapers on non-edibles like your lawn, ornamentals, flowers, and trees,
rather than your vegetable garden.

Do NOT compost advertising inserts.
Ad inserts are printed by someone other than the newspaper. Most companies
still print inserts with heavy metal inks, especially the glossy ones.
Some colored inks have heavy metals in them which, in large quantities,
are toxic to microorganisms. Small quantities such as the occasional colored
ad in the newspaper have negligible effects.

With society's emphasis on recycling,
most newspapers have started using vegetable dyes for colored advertisements
and the comics. (If your newspaper uses vegetable dyes, you can compost
the comics, too.) Unfortunately, there is no way to be certain which dye
they use by looking at the printed page. To make sure, call your local
newspaper and ask them if they use vegetable dyes.

NUT SHELLS

Carbon. Compost in backyard compost
pile.

O

OAK LEAVES

Nitrogen. Compost in backyard compost
pile.Oak leaves are unusual in that most leaves are carbon, i.e., increase
the carbon:nitrogen ratio of the pile. Oak leaves should be added as a
nitrogen material.

OAT STRAW

Carbon (74:1). Compost in compost pile.

OILS OF ANY KIND

Do not compost.

ONION PEEL

Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin. See
Food Wastes.

ORANGE PEEL

Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin. See
Food Wastes.

By the way, I have read that if
you bury shredded orange peel in the top layer of soil, it will repel cats
and dogs from digging.

P

PAPER

Carbon (170:1). Composts best in worm
bins, but may also be used in compost piles if shredded thoroughly and
mixed with other materials.Do not use paper that has colored ink (which
may contain toxic substances) or is glossy or coated.Paper can also be
used under a layer of mulch which is several inches thick, or wood chip
paths if there are no plants currently growing there which you want to
keep. When preparing a new bed, this is a good way to get rid of a lot
of weeds. The paper will keep out the light, so the weeds will not survive.

I received an email from a reader
stating "Pine needles work as a straw replacement for strawberries. I apply
them after the ground freezes in the fall and in the summer between the
rows."Can be composted in the pile as
a carbon. Will take a while to compost. They are acidic, but as long as
the majority of your pile is not pine needles or other acidic ingredients,
the composting process should balance the pH.

PINEAPPLE

Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin. See
Food Wastes.

POISONOUS PLANTS (Including skin irritants)

Do not compost. This includes plants
such as poison ivy.

POTATOES

Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin. See
Food Wastes.

PRUNINGS

Twigs will be Carbon. Deciduous leaves
will be nitrogen. Compost in backyard "slow-compost bin". Chop first.

PUMPKIN SHELLS

Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin. See
Food Wastes.

Q

There are currently no items under
"Q".

R

RHODODENDRON LEAVES

Carbon. Can make a good mulch, shredding
is a plus.Compost in backyard "slow-compost bin". Shred first if possible.

Carbon (400-500:1). Acceptable if wood
was not painted or treated with chemicals or glues. Compost only in thin
layers. Use a LOT of nitrogen materials.

SEAWEED

Nitrogen (19:1). Compost in compost
pile or use as mulch. Provides trace elements and is said to have 60 minerals.
The fresher, the better. The longer it is uprooted the more salt it absorbs.
Try to pick it up right after a storm. Small leafy varieties break down
faster than bigger ones like Bull Kelp, but I know of no varieties that
can't be effectively composted. As with all compost piles, keep moist.

SEWAGE SLUDGE

Do not compost. While this matter will
compost, studies have shown that the compost resulting from sewage sludge
may have high concentrations of metals which are toxic to humans. In addition,
it may contain salts which are toxic to plants.

SOD

Large amounts of sod should be sent
to the municipal recycling center. However, it is possible to compost sod
anaerobically. Cover with black plastic so that there is no air or light
reaching the sod. (This method will also kill weeds such as buttercup and
quack grass, but not Morning Glory.)

Carbon (50:1). Compost in compost pile.
Sugarcane fiber is 200:1 and may also be composted in the backyard pile.

T

TEA BAGS

Carbon (170:1). Compost with tea leaves
in the worm bin. If shredded, can also go in piles.

TEA LEAVES

Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin or compost
pile.

TOMATOES

Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin. See
Food Wastes.

TREES - DISEASED

Don't compost. Send to municipal composting
site. Large municipal or commercial composting sites usually reach much
higher temperatures than home piles, and the heat will kill the disease.
Check with your solid waste department for guidance.Particularly, don't
include parts of a tree that is infested with tent caterpillars. Eggs exist
which will not be destroyed by composting and these will hatch next spring.

TURNIP LEAVES

Nitrogen. Compost in worm bin. See
Food Wastes.

TWIGS

Carbon. Compost in backyard "slow-compost
bin". Chop first.

U

URINE

Nitrogen (2:1). Mix one part urine
with two parts water before adding to pile. (Can also be added directly
to pile, but your chances for problems with odor are less if you dilute
first with water.) Adds nitrogen and potash.

V

VEGETABLE OIL

See Oils

W

WALLBOARD

In response to a reader's question
on this, I spoke with Jim Doersam, the Composting Manager at Texas Organic
Products who composts various wastes from construction sites. He said that
manufacturers of mobile homes frequently use a type of wallboard that is
vinyl on one side. That wallboard vinyl can NOT be composted. However,
regular wallboard with paper on both sides definitely can be composted.
In fact, he says it is made of calcium sulfate, i.e., gypsum, which is
beneficial to your soil.

WALNUTS

Most varieties of walnuts can be composted.
However, see the caution about Black Walnuts.

WEEDS

First of all, pull your weeds BEFORE
they seed. Otherwise, you will have to prune from your weeds all seeds,
rhizomes, and other reproducing parts. Most experts recommend that you
do not put weeds which have gone to seed into your compost pile because
the seeds will likely survive. When you spread your compost, you will be
seeding your lawn and garden with seeds for the coming year. Rodale's book
says that you can compost them if you carefully monitor the pile where
they are to ensure that the temperature gets hot enough. Over 140 degree
temperature is required to kill most weed seeds. It is safest not to compost
them. Send them to the municipal recycling site.

Weeds spread in different ways.
If you think about the way that a weed reproduces, it will assist you in
your decision as to whether or not to put it in your pile. [A good primer
on weeds appeared in Fine Gardening magazine's May/June 1996 issue (4 pgs.)]
Also consider that if you are not building a hot compost pile, live weeds
will probably continue to grow in your pile. Experts disagree as to whether
the weeds' ability to reproduce is destroyed by the heat of the pile, but
they all agree that hot piles are not uniformly hot. Unless the pile is
monitored and turned in such a way that ALL weeds spend adequate time in
the "hot spot" at the center, you can not be sure of the fate of your weed.
If you have any doubts about a weed, don't include it. It is not worth
seeding your garden with weeds as you spread your finished compost, then
finding out you were wrong. Send weeds to the municipal recycling site.

Invasive weeds grow by sending roots
or runners out below or just above the ground. Examples are Bermuda grass,
bind weed, and white clover. Even shredding these types will not kill them.
In fact, shredding them may just make them more plentiful, as they can
reproduce from a small runner in adequate conditions. I have read one method
of addressing these, but I have not tried it for myself so I cannot attest
to its verity. If you spread weeds invasive weeds out on concrete or other
pavement that becomes very hot, they will dry up. When thoroughly dried,
they may be added to the compost pile.

Quack grass, Johnson grass, Sheep
Sorrel and Canada thistle are examples of weeds that reproduce from small
parts of rhizomes and should not be put into the compost pile. As these
rhizomes break up, they simply have additional opportunities to create
a new weed. Once again, I have heard of an anaerobic method of composting
these weeds, but I have not yet tried it myself. The method is to close
the weeds up in a black plastic sack, depriving them of oxygen and sunlight.
Eventually, they should break down under the anaerobic composting process.

Other weeds and plants that have
these characteristics include ivy, Morning Glory, Comfrey, Dallisgrass
and crab grass. I have read one source that said the plastic sack method
does not work on Morning Glory.

WOOD CHIPS

Carbon (500:1). Compost only in thin
layers. Use a lot of nitrogen materials.

WOODY WASTES

Will compost over a year to two years.
Chop before adding to pile, or use a separate bin just for long-term composting.

X

There are currently no items under
"X".

Y

YARD TRIMMINGS

Compost if no chemical pesticides or
fertilizers have been used. Large limbs may be put into a separate long-term
composting bin as they will take 1 - 2 years to decompose. Also includes
old plants, wilted flowers, small prunings.